Category: Sport

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The all-time Premier League table

The Premier League celebrates its 25-year anniversary this summer and what a quarter-century of action it has been in the top flight, with six different champions, countless fortunes spent and a whopping 76 sides relegated.

But what would happen if all 25 Premier League seasons thus far were put together in one glorious table separating the greats from the greatest and the worse from the worst? Who’d take pole position, who’d be stuck at the bottom and who’d find a comfortable place somewhere in between?

Let’s take a look…

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Liverpool FC squad play Last Man Standing – Keepy-Up Challenge

The Liverpool squad’s latest challenge on tour sees the players battle each other in a keepy-up competition.

James Milner again assumes the role of adjudicator in Hong Kong as three qualifiers whittle down the contenders to a final three – who then face off to be the winner.

Small-size balls add difficulty to the task and contact is not only allowed but encouraged by Milner, meaning many attempts to bring down a teammate in the quest to be victorious.

Watch how the challenge unfolded below…

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Liverpool FC seal £10m Andy Robertson move

Liverpool have agreed a £10million deal with Hull City for left-back Andy Robertson.

The 23-year-old Scotland international will undergo a medical on Thursday and is set to become the Reds’ third signing of the summer.  Liverpool will pay £8million up front with a further £2million to follow in add-ons.

Robertson won’t fly out to Hong Kong but will remain in the UK before linking up with his new team-mates ahead of next week’s training camp in Germany.

Robertson will compete with vice-captain James Milner for a starting spot. The Reds turned their attentions to the Glasgow-born defender after missing out on Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon.

Robertson made 115 appearances for Hull following his £3million move from Dundee United in 2014.

Released by Celtic as a teenager, the attacking full-back launched his career at Queen’s Park before being snapped up by Dundee United. Three years ago Robertson was crowned the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year before moving south of the border.

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Paulo Dybala scores free kick even with 20 men on the goal line!

Paulo Dybala took part in a charity football match in his hometown of Laguna Larga on Saturday.  During the course of the proceedings he eventually was awarded a free kick from the edge of the area.

The opposition, well aware of the fact that he had scored 19 goals last season,decided to play it safe by putting the entire team on the goal line.
Some friendly passers by were also roped in to act as reinforcements to further strengthen the wall.

When it was finished it was a thing of some magnificence.  How could anyone score a goal through a wall of bodies like that?

But Dybala did!

He found a gap in that 20 man wall and scored!

 

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Six people charged with criminal offences over Hillsborough disaster

Liverpool City Council light up 96 lanterns and illuminate St Georgeís Hall on Lime Street in red along with a banner which names those who lost their lives in the Hillsborough Disaster .(Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Match commander David Duckenfield and Norman Bettison are among six people charged with criminal offences over the Hillsborough disaster.

The Crown Prosecution Service revealed its intentions in a meeting with the victims relatives at 11am this morning.

Last year it was concluded that the 96 fans that lost their lives at Hillsborough in the 1989 stadium disaster had been unlawfully killed.

Following a six month investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service, today six people have been charged for their roles in the Hillsborough disaster, including match commander David Duckenfield and Norman Bettison, who was heavily involved with coordinating the response of the South Yorkshire Police following the dissaster.

Others charged are Graham Henry Mackrell, Sheffield Wednesday’s safety officer; Peter Metcalf, a South Yorkshire Police solicitor; and Donald Denton and Alan Foster, both members of the South Yorkshire Police at the time of the disaster.

 

Head of the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime and CounterTerrorism Division, Sue Hemming, announced the charges in relation to the Hillsborough Stadium disaster.

 

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Jürgen Klopp appears in inspirational New Balance advert

Jürgen Klopp plays the main part in New Balance’s latest Liverpool FC based video and it’s fantastic.

Klopp is pictured looking around Anfield with plenty of passion and determination.  In the note to his future self he pledges to never forget ‘what this was all about’ and how he was given a chance ‘to live his dream’.  It really makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up:

We can’t wait to see Klopp on the touchline at Anfield again in less than two months.

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125 years of Liverpool FC in 125 seconds

As the celebrations of Liverpool FC’s 125th anniversary begin, see the club’s unique story retold in fast-paced fashion in a fittingly timed 125-second clip:

From humble beginnings to kings of Europe, through triumph and tragedy along the way – the Reds have been on an incredible journey over the last century and a quarter.

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Liverpool FC 2017/2018 away kit launched

Liverpool and New Balance have just released the new away kit for next season.

The design is said to be “inspired” by the first ever Liverpool kits from 1892.  Those first kits were half blue and half white.  This kit is half green and white based on the same checkerboard pattern.

The kit features an embroidered commemorative Liver bird crest and a subtle pin stripe within the design – and is completed by a black collar, black shorts and white socks with a green horizontal stripe and black trim.

Visit liverpoolfc.com/store to order yours right now, with the kit also set to be available to purchase at official club stores from Saturday.

LFC 2017-18 New Balance away kit

Liverpool vice-captain James Milner said:

“This kit looks classic – up to date, but with a nod to the past.  It will be a reminder of the foundations this great club is built on every time we wear it. The whole team is really proud to be a part of this huge anniversary for the club, and we can’t wait to wear this kit next season.”

LFC 2017-18 New Balance away goalkeeper kit

Click here to order LFC’s 2017-18 away kit online now

 

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Who Liverpool could face in the Champions League qualifying round

Liverpool now know the potential opponents which will await them in their Champions League play-off in August.

AEK Athens booked their place in the fourth qualifying round on Wednesday night, beating Panionios 2-1 to top the Greek Super League play-ff ahead of PAOK Salonika, who lost 3-2 at home to Panathinaikos.

AEK are the 10th team confirmed for the fourth qualifying round, joining the likes of Ajax, Dynamo Kiev, Nice and CSKA Moscow at that stage.

Possible opponents for Liverpool

Liverpool, we already know, WILL be seeded for the play-off round, along with Napoli and Sevilla.

Their opponents will either be one of the five unseeded teams who come through the preceding round, or one of the two unseeded teams already qualified for the play-off round.

So who could they face?

Viktora Plzen (Czech Republic) – finished second, 10 points behind winners Slavia Prague.

CSKA Moscow (Russia) – finished second, seven points behind Spartak Moscow and one point ahead of Zenit.

Club Brugge (Belgium) – finished second, two points behind Anderlecht.

Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) – finished third, behind champions Benfica and second place Porto.

Steaua Bucharest (Romania) – finished second behind Viitorul.

Young Boys (Switzerland) – second to regular pests FC Basel by a whopping 17 points.

Nice (France) – third behind champions Monaco and second-placed PSG.

Hoffenheim (Germany) – fourth, two points behind third-placed Dortmund and 20 behind champions Bayern Munich.

Istanbul BB (Turkey) – second behind champions Besiktas and well ahead of Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.

AEK Athens (Greece) – secured their place by topping a four-team mini-league this week.

As an aside, if Ajax or Kiev failed to get through their play-off round, then Plzen and then CSKA Moscow would move up and become seeds, meaning Liverpool could not draw them after all.

The draw will be made by UEFA on Friday August 4 with the games to be played on either August 16 or August 17, with the return leg a week later on August 23 or August 24.

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Revealed: The most popular Liverpool FC player names on fans’ kits

Liverpool’s official website has revealed the 11 most popular names that fans get on their kits when buying from the club store.

To celebrate Liverpool’s 125th anniversary, New Balance designed a beautiful new home kit for the 2017/18 season. The strip has echoes of years gone by with the white collar and retro design reminding fans of the glory days.

The kit was debuted on the final day of the season as Liverpool romped to a 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough. The Reds secured Champions League football in style with the new kit receiving widespread appreciation.

According to Liverpoolfc.com, the kit release has been a massive success. The top 10 names on the back of the new Liverpool kit are as follows:

  1. Philippe Coutinho
  2. Sadio Mané
  3. Roberto Firmino
  4. Adam Lallana
  5. Georginio Wijnaldum
  6. Jordan Henderson
  7. Emre Can
  8. James Milner
  9. Simon Mignolet
  10. Lucas Leiva and Daniel Sturridge
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Out now: Get LFC’s brand new home kit and training range

Liverpool FC’s brand new home kit for 2017-18 has been released and is now available to purchase in club stores and online.

The New Balance strip celebrates the club’s 125th anniversary year with its retro style, returning to a rich, darker red with tonal pin stripes, a white v-neck collar and the commemorative Liver bird crest.

Supporters can get their hands on the shirt, shorts and socks for next season right now, either by visiting any club store or clicking here to buy online.

Phase one of the club’s new training kit range for 2017-18 – featuring shirts, polos, jackets, performance wear and more – has also been released after its reveal earlier this month.

Browse the New Balance collection by clicking here.

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125 years ago today, Liverpool FC was formed

On March 15, 1892, John Houlding famously broke from the board of Everton to form a new club – Liverpool.

Club historian and museum curator Stephen Done explains:

“It’s perhaps not widely known that Liverpool FC’s founding father and first president, John Houlding, was originally president of Everton but, after a huge fall out over a number of issues including rent, he was removed from his position.

“This left Houlding and his colleagues with a fine football ground but no team and no name! The evening of March 15 at Houlding’s home, Stanley House, a new club was proposed and given the name Liverpool Football Club.

“And so began the plans to recruit new players and to formally enter the Football League. By June 3, Liverpool Football Club was official.”

The club will mark its official 125th birthday on June 3, 2017 – the day the club was officially recognised by the Board of Trade in 1892.

This year, 125th birthday celebrations will be kicked off with the release of a special anniversary LFC crest, which will be revealed on next season’s kit in April.

Of course, the best way to honour the 125th year as a club would be to return to silverware-winning ways.